Thread: My untaxed car impounded. Advice needed

police.DVLA would have arranged the impoundment, not just 'some contracted firm'

£104 towaway fee + £12 per day storage.
might just have gone up though i think to £112.

and typically they photo the car, so that old damage [problem] will not work and the car park will no doubt have cctv.

wouldn't of mattered about the sorn either, that would not of stopped the ticket infact prob been worse.

if you have been luck and gotten away with it just retaxing the car might well have got you and £80 fine anyhow.
depends what mood the dvla computer is in.....
sometimes they just backdate the new tax and call it quits.

but really as you say, you had no excuse, its not as if its a new thing.
been around 2yrs now to my knowledge, no tax or MOT or Ins or Licence, car gets impounded.

dx

What do you mean by a "Does not have a full MoT"?

There are no part MoT, the vehicle is either MoTd or it is not.

There is a "part" MOT as it happens - one that's restricted to daylight hours and good visibility. It's what you get if your car has no front or rear position (side) lights, in which case you also don't need headlights, indicators or even brake lights!

Not sure if the computers would pick up the difference if you were driving such a car at night though

Also, one point on the impounding for no MOT or insurance - they can only do that if the car is seen being driven. Parking on the road is perfectly legal without MOT or insurance as long as the tax is current.

I wonder if you'd have a defence on "I can't see you so you can't see me" lines

Originally Posted by Spunkymonkey

Also, one point on the impounding for no MOT or insurance - they can only do that if the car is seen being driven. Parking on the road is perfectly legal without MOT or insurance as long as the tax is current.

Not sure about MoT - I would need to check - but insurance is required. Statute states 'using' (which includes parking, not driving. This is why you can't park on a pubic highway if using DOC insurance. However, you are correct that it cannot be s.165 impounded unless it is being driven.

RTA 1988 s.143

143 Users of motor vehicles to be insured or secured against third-party risks

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act—
(a) a person must not use a motor vehicle on a road unless there is in force in relation to the use of the vehicle by that person such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third party risks as complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act, and
(b) a person must not cause or permit any other person to use a motor vehicle on a road unless there is in force in relation to the use of the vehicle by that other person such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third party risks as complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act.

Agreed that using can include parking, but only if it's being parked somewhere in the course of using it (eg: drive to shops, park while shopping, drive home).

It doesn't, however, include "Keeping", which is what you're doing if it's just sitting on the road near the address it's registered as being kept at. One reason for mentioning that is I've come across a couple of cases recently of over-zealous impounding impounded of such vehicles.

One was properly taxed but awaiting MOT and no point insuring till it was ready to go for test and the other was taxed, with MOT, but occasional use so the guy used day cover insurance when needed. In both cases the police have returned the cars when challenged without charging any fees.